Ad Ultimum
by con2020tran
Summary: *Discontinued* AU:: It is said that from peace is bred friendship. What happens, then, when the Princess of the Moon meets a girl named Hotaru during a time of political unrest?
1. Chapter 1

_**Ad Ultimum  
Chapter I**_

_**Focus: **Hotaru/Chibiusa**  
Timeline: **Alternative Universe.**  
Summary: **It is said that from peace is bred friendship. What happens, then, when the Princess of the Moon meets a girl named Hotaru during a time of political unrest?**  
Disclaimer: **I do not own Bishoujo Sensei Sailormoon or any of the recognizable characters in this fiction. You're looking for Takeuchi Naoko._

* * *

_Friendship and Peace go hand in hand,  
Like innocent trusting children.  
Where there is friendship, peace abides.  
And where there is peace, friendship flourishes._  
— Richard W. Callahan

* * *

She would never make it on time. Standing in front of her mirror, Princess Tsukino Usagi Small Lady Serenity ran her fingers hurriedly through the damp mess that was her hair. An uncharacteristic twitch stayed lodged at her brow, a result of her friend's failure to wake her two hours after sun-up. _Now look at this! _the Princess raged, abandoning her pink strands to search for a proper comb. _It's almost noon and I'm still busy fixing up my hair! _In her agitated state, her hand accidentally knocked over her jewelry box and sent it flying off the dresser. She reached out instinctively for the box, but her reflexes proved too slow and it resumed its downward path, ending with a magnificent crash. She stared at the gold on the floor before snapping to her senses and calling for her personal servant.

A girl of her age, red hair tied back in a single ponytail, appeared immediately at the door. "Yes! I'm here, Princess! Wha—What happened?!" she demanded, stumbling as she ran over to her charge. She grabbed a hold of her right hand and directed the Princess' attention to the cut decorating the palm. "Y-You're bleeding, Usagi-chan! W-We have to take care of it right away! I think I—"

"Stop it, Momo-chan!" Small Lady snapped, taking back her hand when Momoko started to tear off the end of her sleeve. She wasn't in the mood for this kind of nonsense when there was someone waiting for her, had been waiting for her for the past hour or so. "It's not even a deep cut and I certainly won't be dying from it. Just get this cleaned up. And find my comb. Dry my hair. Find a dress!" Her eyes, a shade of red, widened as she realized exactly how much she had to get done. "Oh my... I haven't even found anything to wear yet!" The Princess whipped around and literally flung herself into the closet, ignoring the mess she would have to return to later. "No no no no no no no! Turn back time!! Just stop it!!"

She knew that she was acting out of character, adopting an eccentric manner unbecoming of a Princess. She had a reputation for being one of the most composed young nobles around, having absorbed readily all the masters of etiquette had to offer, but everything was thrown to the side when she thought of him. She thought about his kind smile, his gentle heart, and she was immediately transported to a world of tranquility, a world where she could gaze into his eyes forever. Small Lady was only twelve, at an age where she could perfectly accept the frenzied obsessions associated with falling in love. She had fallen from him hard and the thought that she could not present herself to him—when his busy schedule finally allowed—was enough to shatter her. She wanted to see him. She wanted to see him and here she was, looking like a pig and screaming like some madwoman.

_What am I doing...? _She took a deep breath to calm herself down. She was late; there was nothing she could do about that. If she was going to be late, she should at least have the grace to greet him at her best. Small Lady walked over to where her friend knelt, picking up the assorted gems, and joined her. Afterwards, Momoko busied herself straightening out the tangles in her long pink hair while the royal herself focused her attention on the various dresses hiding in the back. She was helped into one she deemed perfect for the occasion—neither frilly nor too casual—and, after a slight bout, fixed her hair into the _odango_-style she had modeled after her mother's. Small Lady had to grow out her hair just to get rid of that "puffy" she had as a child, and now the tips brushed a few centimetres past her shoulders. She apologized to Momoko for causing such a strange scene and promptly flew into the crowded hallway.

The swirls of whites, blacks, and blues did little to accommodate for the young girl weaving through their disorderly paths. The castle was always busier when meal time came around, when the servants would rush to complete their duties so that they could enjoy their food with peace of mind. Their rushing, however, was only problematic for the Princess, and she struggled to maintain a presence amongst all the body contact and cries of apology. She largely ignored it all, forcing her aggravation aside and focusing her gaze straight ahead. Two hours had passed since their appointed time. Her teachers would collapse in shock if they heard of it, but he was different, always ready with an understanding smile and warm embrace. It hurt.

Small Lady picked up her pace and narrowly missed ramming into someone with an armful of tomatoes. She spun off to the side with a quick apology and nearly crashed into someone else, this one carrying a basket of laundry. She regained her balance as she apologized to the disappointing look and proceeded forward, trying to be extra careful this time. She felt a tug on her arm and stopped abruptly in her tracks, turning to watch that same laundry girl stumble past her and fall to the ground, scattering the numerous garments. What surprised her most, though, was the fact that the tug on her arm returned and dragged her down into the basket. The stench of sweat and dirt filled her nostrils and the Princess pulled back immediately, her face twisted in disgust. It was almost certain that the smell had transferred to her own body and when she thought about how long she had prepared, she was ready to lash out at the underling. However, once she came face-to-face, the sight silenced her voice.

The servant was a girl who looked around her age and currently lay on her side, allowing the Princess a full view of her features. Her dark hair splayed over her face in a rather crude manner and contrasted with the surprising fairness of her skin. Her eyes were welded shut, her teeth were gritted, and when the Princess listened closely a pained breath could be heard. She forgot her anger and moved to help the other girl, but was interrupted by a forest of arms and a swarm of heads that inquired repeatedly about the condition of her health.

"I'm fine," the Princess insisted, trying to push them aside. "More importantly, is she okay? It looked like she came down pretty hard." She struggled to make her way over to the other girl and found herself unable to escape the vines of concern; they seemed to restrict her to the center of their attention, keep her away from that girl. Her rational side mentioned something about her being melodramatic, but she couldn't help from feeling like she was being suffocated. "Let go!" she demanded finally and the chains snapped back, even clearing for her a path. The girl sat at its end, a hand clutching her right arm and her breathing heavy. Her clothes were still disorderly and took after the example set by her cloak, this particular article a symbol of her status among the servants.

"Are you all right?" Small Lady had approached the girl and now knelt before her, staring upward. "I'm terribly sorry for making you fall. I didn't mean to..." she trailed off, realizing that she really didn't know why the girl had tumbled after her in the first place.

Their eyes finally met and the Princess had to pause for a while to catch her breath. The amethysts that peered out at her were beautiful, incredibly deep and incredibly clear. They seemed to mock a gateway to all knowledge and the Princess sensed a whirlpool at its entrance, ready to engulf anyone who dared venture near. Her eyes told her that she was a person who would never let her guard down, yet somehow the Princess could glimpse a dim flame hiding in the back. Why did that fire look so tragic, so familiar and endearing? She wanted to reach out and touch it, but that whirlpool roared and she instinctively pulled her hand away.

The girl shook her head and suddenly guided her hand to Small Lady's arm. The rubies watched as she unhooked the corset that was dangling from her sleeve and showed it off. Small Lady looked down and was surprised to see that there was indeed a tear in the fabric. "It got caught earlier and I was trying to free it," she explained. "It was by no means a fault of your own, Princess. For thinking only of the consequences as they would apply to me, I am to blame. I apologize for my selfishness."

The corner of Small Lady's mouth hinted at a frown. "What do you mean? You're injured, aren't you?" To prove her point, she reached over to touch her shoulder and was caught off guard by how fiercely the girl recoiled. The pain that flashed before her eyes struck at her heart, and she apologized immediately. "T-That was thoughtless of me. I didn't mean to do it...! I-I-I'll take you to the infirmary!" The Princess moved to her good arm and tried to get her to stand, but the girl was being uncooperative and the Princess' inferiority in height did not act like an effective lever.

"Princess, I do not require this," the girl insisted through her teeth, trying to pull away. "It is only a bruise."

"No! I said I'll take you to the infirmary and that's that!" Small Lady tugged hard in the opposite direction and almost toppled over when she was relieved of the weight she was pulling. A servant who had been among the other spectators, a young man, had finally taken the initiative to assist his princess and now the girl was in his arms, staring with a bewildered expression.

"Princess, I believe you wished to have her brought to the infirmary?" he asked, ignoring the girl's requests to be released.

"Y-Yeah. Thank you." Small Lady stared, not quite sure what just happened, but she composed herself and started down the hall. "I'll escort you." In truth she wanted to be the one to help the girl there, but it was clear that her will was far greater than her strength. She tried a smile, which was answered with a shying of the amethysts.

With the spectacle at its end, the crowd dispersed and the hall was once again characterized by hurrying footsteps. As she made her way through, Usagi's eye found the sunlight and a quick glance to her left exposed the courtyard. This section of the castle faced the greenery reserved for more relaxing and recreational activities so large pillars of stone stood in place of a solid wall. The view this provided was remarkable and embraced a connection between those of all social status. Anyone could admire the flowers growing violet, red, and white in the garden, and the water fountain—in the shape of a crescent—was free for all to see. A grove of oaks lined the wide perimeter of the wall and the grass was littered with the few servants who had caught up with their schedules. The Princess stifled a laugh when she saw two pages topple each other into the pond and looked back to check out the reactions of her companions. The man was staring straight ahead but the girl had seen what she'd seen, and her eyes stayed the same.

"Just lie her down on one of the beds," the Princess instructed as they entered the room. Being a centre of health, it was no doubt the cleanest area of the castle and patient beds were always in abundance. "And I thank you for your assistance," she added. "I wouldn't have been able to get her here without it."

"There is no need for such words. It is my heartfelt wish to serve my Princess." He responded with a bow of his head and came to an abrupt stop when he looked back up. "Princess Mercury! Good morning! I..." The man looked around almost frantically, trying to figure out what he should do with the girl he was holding so a proper greeting could be initiated. It was obvious that he was nowhere expecting this sudden turn.

The blue-haired woman smiled and put down the clipboard she was holding. "Don't worry about such formalities, kind sir. It is enough that you have been victim to our Moon Princess' whims; to inconvenience you any further would be disrespecting your rights to a lunch break." She walked up to them, her light blue dress a stranger among all the white-donning staff. She herself, however, was a common sight here whenever she visited, going over medical procedures and assisting wherever possible. It was incredible how well-versed she was in such matters, considering that she was destined to lead a life of politics.

"The compliments you lavish upon me soothe the very depths of my soul." Usagi finished off by sticking out her tongue playfully before returning the woman's smile. "Good morning, Ami-san. How have you been?"

"Just fine," she reassured, reaching over to pat the twelve-year-old on the head. "I was in a meeting with your mother this morning and it ended on a rather good note. Oh, did you grow since the last time we met?" Receiving a positive answer, Ami turned to dismiss the man attending them and finally registered the person in his arms, who had been busy trying to bury herself in his chest. Her eyes grew in surprised recognition. "Hotaru-chan?"

The girl stopped fidgeting with a disgruntled noise and turned to face the woman, hiding a tinge a red behind her hair. "Mer—Am— ...Princess Mercury." She took advantage of the man's still dazzled state to escape and set herself down. It was just for a split second, but Usagi thought she saw her stumble as her feet touched the floor. Her eyes found Ami's with the comfort of an equal—no, there was something cold about those orbs—before she succumbed to the requirements of status and bowed. "Good day."

"So I was right—oh, you may leave now. Thank you very much—but why are you...?"

Usagi walked over to the girl's side—Hotaru, she would remember that. "We were involved in a little incident and she ended up hurt as a result. I-I was the one who forced her to come here so if that was a bad thing, I'll accept the responsibility for it."

Ami redirected her surprise at the young Princess. "No, Usagi-chan, that's not what it is. I just wasn't expecting to see her today, that's all. If she's hurt she's more than welcome here, and I thank you for taking it upon yourself to bring her. You didn't do anything wrong. Hotaru-chan, where are you injured?"

"A minor injury," Hotaru dismissed, maintaining eye contact almost stubbornly.

"Her right shoulder," Usagi offered. "And I think she twisted her ankle too." The addition came like an afterthought and immediately attracted attention from the other girl. The Princess returned the look with an apologetic nod.

Ami smiled and asked Hotaru to pull down the neck of her shirt, a request to which the girl obliged with minimal resistance. The young woman moved closer to inspect the slightly pinkish area, taking her arm gingerly in her hands. Hotaru winced at the contact. As she watched them work in such close proximity, Usagi felt an uneasiness well up in her stomach. The feeling subsided a little when she explained it as a need for nutrition, but it still maintained an active presence. She tried to shake it off.

"You're right, it's only a bruise. Nothing that a little ice can't take care of anyways." The heir of Mercury set her hands aside and looked over at the Princess, who had to hurry to wipe the relief from her face. It was weird that she should be feeling relieved; she'd seen Ami treat others plenty of times before so the sight was nothing new. Maybe she was just worried that Ami would accidentally hurt the girl. "Usagi-chan, can you help her over to a bed while I get some ice?"

"Yes." Ami left for the back and Usagi promptly looped Hotaru's left arm over her shoulders. She tried to get her to lean completely on her so there wouldn't be any weight on her foot, and the slightly taller girl was once again obedient. The sensation of another body against hers was something of which the Princess was very conscious. She tried her best to keep her head clear as they made their way over to a nearby bed. The effort kept her attention to the emptiness of the infirmary—in fact, aside from a nurse in the corner, they were pretty much alone. The sheets were clean and lay undisturbed on the numerous beds, and sunlight passed unhindered to bring to the room a natural warmth. It was indeed a place with open arms.

"You're a kind one, Princess."

She had been silent for a while so the sound of her voice caught Usagi off-guard. It wasn't that the tone was hostile but there was certainly an edge, a sense of avoiding. As they had just met it was to be expected, but it didn't take long for the Princess to realize that it made her feel uncomfortable. "Really? How?" She turned to the side and noticed exactly how close Hotaru's face was, noticed how her bangs cut just short of her eyes and how the rest of her hair proceeded to frame her. Her eyes were beautiful like always, even when downcast, and Usagi had to remind herself to stop staring.

"You're young, but you take it upon yourself to see the well-being of a mere servant." Hotaru got off Small Lady and let herself down on the bed with a sigh. "Nobles do not usually go to such lengths unless they have a favour in mind." She paused abruptly and fixed the Princess with a frown in her eyes. "Do you have something from me that you wish to request?"

Usagi was taken aback. "No!" she insisted, perhaps a little too forcefully. "I was honestly worried about you! You may say otherwise, but what happened back there was my fault as much as yours—no, it was mine alone. If I hadn't been so distracted, had just been _a little _considerate about the people around me, I wouldn't have hurt you. I have to take responsibility for it, and if you make it seem like some under-handed move..." She cut herself off and shifted uncomfortably in her seat, keeping her eyes to the side.

Hotaru sighed and softened her gaze. "I apologize for my rudeness, Princess. I must ask your forgiveness for acting out of place and making an unfair generalization." Her voice sounded sincere but the use of such formal speech bothered the Princess, emphasized the distance that existed between them. "I should be gracious and instead I am plagued by a misplaced suspicion. I apologize once more."

There were no words at her disposal so Usagi just focused on keeping her hands still on her lap. The silence that they had managed to avoid for so long came rushing in, staining any pretense they had of a good acquaintanceship. The aura the other girl emitted was almost suffocating and the Princess wondered why she was still sitting there. Didn't she have something she had to do? Red eyes drew back tentatively to the deep purple pools, but Hotaru too had sensed the awkwardness and was busy studying her fingers. It amused the Princess to see the girl who had seemed so distant imitate her own behaviour. She smiled inwardly. _That's right, she's a girl just like me._

"Hotaru-chan. Your name is Hotaru-chan, right?" Usagi laughed nervously when she suddenly looked up. "I mean, I can call you that, right?"

The dark-haired girl raised an eyebrow at the question but nodded. "You may address me however you like, Princess."

"Then... Taru-chan?"

The blush that coloured her cheeks coupled with her expression sent Small Lady into a fit of giggles. "Princess, that's a little..." Hotaru left her complaint unfinished and quickly turned her head to the side, lowering her head further into her chest. It took a while to compose herself and when she looked back up, Usagi could still see the red cracking a face struggling to stay serious. "I-If that's what you wish to call me, Princess, then you may do so."

"No, it's okay," Usagi reassured her, unable to keep from smiling broadly. "I shouldn't have played such a mean joke." An idea suddenly came to her and she couldn't keep herself from clasping Hotaru's good hand with both of hers, catching her completely by surprise "Hey, you're always calling me 'Princess' this and 'Princess' that. How about you call me by my name from now on? Let's be friends."

"Friends?" echoed Hotaru, sounding as if the concept was something strange and new. "No, before that. It would be disrespect of me to address the Moon Princess by her first name. Our social standings differ by too much and we must always hold them in regard."

Usagi frowned but it was quickly replaced by a mischievous smile. "So I can call you 'Taru-chan'?"

There was that reaction again. "I-If that is what you wish," she mumbled.

"I'm glad, Taru-chan." Her eyes were shining. "I was worried that you might actually hate the nickname 'Taru-chan,' but I feel so much better now that you'll let me call you that, Taru-chan. 'Taru-chan,' isn't that an adorable name? Flows right off the tongue too. Taru-chan, Taru-chan, Taru-chan. Rhymes with Haru-chan and Waru-chan. Mawaru-chan. Guru Guru Mawaru-chan." Usagi stuck out her tongue and laughed the names away. "Just kidding. Your name is perfect the way it is: Taru-chan."

The girl looked like she wanted nothing more than to disappear. Teasing her like this was fun, Usagi realized, and Hotaru looked incredibly cute when she was embarrassed. "Usagi-chan," she tested meekly and it looked like even this was a source of embarrassment for her. She tried to hide behind her dark bangs.

Usagi acknowledged her name with a nod and smile. "Hotaru-chan."

"Hotaru-chan. Usagi-chan."

The voice came out of seemingly nowhere and both girls immediately pulled away from each other, which resulted in the Princess yelping out in pain. She held her hand to her chest and waited for the stinging to subside before looking at the cut on her palm, opened after the sudden motion. Blood started to leak out and Usagi thought back to the panicked Momoko, the box that had cut her as she reached out for it, and finally the prince, whom she had been rushing to see. It was as if a bucket of ice water had been dumped on her. She stood up quickly, ignoring the concerns of the others.

"Usagi-chan, you're bleeding! We have to get this cleaned!" Ami settled for using the water in the ice pack and took hold of her hand, dabbing the cut with the bandages she had brought.

"I'm fine, Ami-chan," Usagi insisted when the woman tried to apply the bandage. "Sorry, I really have to go now." She pulled her hand away and was starting toward the door when Hotaru suddenly sat up and caught hold of her. Wincing at the touch, Usagi looked back silently and stared at the warmth that started at their hands. They remained like this for a while until Hotaru finally let go and leaned back down against the bed, turning her head away from her. Usagi didn't bother to question and proceeded to take her leave after a bid goodbye.

She stumbled out into the hall, noting dimly that it was nearly empty. Red eyes cast themselves to the sky but her confusion prevented her from determining the time. How long had he been waiting? Was he even still? The Princess fell against the wall with a hand at her temples, her mind frantic with thoughts of her tardiness. This was taking it too far: she was taking his kindness for granted, his feelings for granted. She bombarded herself mentally with insults of the lowest kind; she was a horrible person. Usagi started to run, forgetting all about the incident with Hotaru in the heat of the moment. Her dress flapped behind her and her heels clacked loudly against the tiled floor until the change in material forced them to merely click.

She had steered herself into a beautifully decorated hallway, designated as an area to meet with certain guests. Although the servants dubbed these guests unimportant due to their general lack of political concerns, the pathway was considered one of the best place in which to be. The walls had been crafted from a special type of ice found only in the distant lands of Pluto and Martian hands had glossed it enough so that it shone like glass. A bright rainbow spread across the area as the sun gleamed in the sky, giving proof of the ice's property to separate the spectrum. It provided an amazing dream-like experience and fed the Princess' fantasy of an utopia at the centre of which would stand a grand crystal structure. A marvelous palace, and a beautiful prince would stand always by her side.

_A prince...! _Usagi crashed through the rainbow, her whole being focused on one room and one room only. She could see his distorted shadow through the wall, standing, and concluded that he must have sensed her presence. He always knew when she was coming and when she asked why a few years ago, he claimed that it was because their hearts were so closely in tune. It was true, she thought as her pace slowed, he must have heard her heart cry out for him. If she closed her eyes and focused, would she be able to do the same? The Princess did not have the patience to test it out. The door swung open and there he was, his white outfit shimmering as he bent his body in greeting. His similarly white hair sat elegantly atop his head and his blue eyes peered out gently at her. He whispered to her in welcome, as if he hadn't been waiting hours for her arrival, and she couldn't help throwing herself into his chest.

A chuckle escaped him as he returned her embrace. "I've missed you too, Maiden. It has been far too long since our last meeting."

Small Lady tightened her hold, burying herself in his scent. "I'm sorry, Helios. I'm so sorry."

* * *

_**Note:** I started writing this way back in the summer of 2005, right after I finished watching the third season of _Sailormoon_. I abandoned the fourth and fifth seasons, not wanting my work to be tainted by the stuff from there, so these characters are mainly based off of manga. My curiosity was the inspiration for this fic. In the series, they talk about how Usagi (our beloved blonde one, that is) brings Neo Tokyo into being and becomes its sovereign and everything. It was probably just my interpretation of it, but I was left wondering how a democracy like Japan would give way to that kind of system once more. Well, those were my thoughts, but what actually spilled from my pen was completely different. ::laughs::_

_The first draft of this chapter was written while I was taking Grade 10 Civics so I got to use fancy words politic words and everything. Unfortunately, it also dragged a lot. I wanted to have this done before I graduated, but that plan went down the drain. Instead, I aimed for "before leaving high school" and scrapped three years worth of work with that in mind, rewriting everything. I'm actually quite ahead—currently working on the fourth chapter—but since my average is one chapter every 1-2 months, I'll match it with a monthly release. There's a possibility I'll shorten the wait if enough people show interest, but I _am _aiming for a constant pace here. I mean, it's kinda unfair to have daily releases for the first couple of chapters, then a gigantic four-month period of nothingness. ...Not that I've actually _done _that before... ::coughs::_

_Had trouble coming up with a title, though I believe what I have now is most appropriate. _Ad Ultimum _means "to the end, the last." This will probably be my last major project before post-secondary, and hopefully I'll finish it. ::laughs:: There is, of course, its meaning in the story, but that's okay. It's something of a challenge to write, seeing as how character development isn't exactly my forte, but I'll do my best. For sure._

_**Written:** July 16 2008 - July 29 2008_


	2. Chapter 2

_**Ad Ultimum  
Chapter II**_

_**Note: **Good morning, afternoon, evening—whenever you may be. How do you do? I remember saying something like it'd be a month's wait for the next chapter. Well, in Toast-speak, a month really translates to a year. Har. It's been exactly a year since I posted this up. Isn't life grand? I __realized that arting is my one true love despite the fugly that consistently results. Hated reading so I abandoned FanFiction dot Net all together until I was called back by this grand fiction of epic proportions._

_Proceed to read a chapter I can't even remember, with a mindset I never intended. Have fun.  
_

* * *

"Usagi-chan is a nice child, isn't she? She takes after her mother in a lot of ways, but seems to have developed a stronger sense of responsibility at an earlier age. Neo-Queen Serenity didn't start taking her duties seriously until adulthood" The Princess of Mercury handed Hotaru a new bag of ice and instructed her to keep it on her arm. She looked over the injury at her foot and smiled in relief. "Ice should help against the swelling, and we should bandage it to prevent it from moving too much, but you're fortunate that it's quite minor." She watched the girl flinch when she applied the coldness against her skin. "I want you to rest today and tomorrow you should be back to your usual self. Is that all right, Hotaru-chan?"

The fourteen-year-old kept her silence, answering only with her stubborn refusal to look directly at the older woman. She removed the ice pack from her arm and closed her eyes, fighting the wave of dizziness that always came whenever she used her powers. The nausea was exactly the reason why she didn't use them earlier to heal herself—the injuries were far too minor anyways—but she went and threw all that out the window just now. It wasn't as if that cut required immediate attention either so what was she thinking? The Princess could have done with or without it; she wasn't that weak of an individual and Hotaru knew it. The sight of blood, though, staining the purity of the young Princess was unbearable. She couldn't stop her hand from reaching out, couldn't stop the transfer of her powers into her body.

_'This is silly_,' Hotaru mused. '_It's unlike me to be dwelling on such trivial matters_.'She noticed that Ami had left her side and remarked to herself that they have indeed adjusted to her mannerisms. The physical differences from their last meeting were there—perhaps she looked a slight more fatigued than precious—but the blue-haired monarch remained a sight to behold. They were all at least twenty years older than she, yet they seemed reluctant to let their youth take flight, held upon it stubbornly as if to mock time itself. Matters of politics aside, Hotaru still found it difficult to engage with them in discussion, and Ami seemed to understand that. The air, however, was tense and clung to the side of business; it was clear that Mercury had something she wanted—needed to tell her.

"I shall remain where I am for tonight," she finally answered.

Ami took it as a sign to continue, the hints of a smile lifting her lips, and she seated herself again by the bed. "I'm surprised you're here; you weren't this morning."

"We had to take a detour when we found a bridge destroyed, and we had mechanical troubles along the way," explained Hotaru, not bothering to lower her voice in the empty room. "The faulty carriage was responsible for itself, but the bridge had been standing the day before. I questioned the villagers there and they claimed that it had just collapsed all of a sudden. No one had any idea why."

"Where was this? Did news get out of your departure?"

"Not that I know of. Considering that it was on the outskirts of Jupiter, the story about the bridge simply collapsing isn't too far fetched. The area has a history of rock slides and earthquakes though, so it would probably not be worth the effort to delve too deeply into it."

"Still..." Mercury trailed off, leaving her hand against her chin and her brows knitted in thought. "But if you don't think we should pursue it, we won't."

Hotaru nodded and relaxed. Talking like this was easy, keeping everything factual and in a realm distinct from the one she occupied. It was the way she'd been taught, the way to which she was forced to adjust after her father saddled her with a good portion of the country's affairs. Over the years, his workload had increased steadily and it eventually got to the point where the country was suffering from his inability to keep up. When the other territorial heads started pestering him about Saturn's declining economy, he refused to cooperate with them any further and, in his brilliance, had his daughter placed at the reins of international relations. Things started looking up when he continued to pile duties on top of her, but this left her with a soured childhood. Straying far into personal matters was undesirable on the political field, and therefore even more useless in the real world. A rational mind, she learned quickly, was critical to one's survival.

She finally noticed that the silence had hovered unbroken for a while. Hotaru had been waiting for Mercury to continue, but a quick glance revealed the woman deep in thought; it was obvious that her expectations would not be met. "Is that all you had to say? What about the meeting?" she pressed. "You mentioned to the Princess that it had gone well."

Ami looked up, surprised by the sudden intrusion. "That's true, but you understand that I am not particularly obliged to distress the Small Lady. I only said that because I didn't want her to worry. Minako-chan commented on something regarding that incident a few months ago, and Haruka-san didn't take it very well. Rei-chan remarked on the role of the Ginzuishou in society, but Setsuna-san spoke out against its proposed destruction. Every point that was brought up resulted in five more countering it; I believe we would have continued to argue if not for the Neo-King's intervention." She shook her head in resignation. "We ended the day with trade and left our main issue unresolved."

Hotaru sighed. Her age and relative lack of experience prevented her from contributing too much to the discussions anyway, but it was always nice that the other monarchs kept her informed. She bowed her head. "Thank you, Mercury. I shall remember to return with news of this to my father."

"Hotaru-chan, look at me for a moment." She did and was uncomfortable with the eyes she met, radiating they were with a kind of friendliness with which she did not wish to make acquaintance. Mercury's princess smiled in spite of this. "I'm glad that you're willing to talk to me, but every time you address me that way makes me feel a little distant from you. I won't go as far as to say that we're friends, but I want you to know that we're here for you. We'll always be ready to lend an ear so if you have anything you want to say..."

The pools of amethyst continued to stare, as if they were capable of judging the older woman's sincerity through a look alone. She did not intimidate her, but what could she do? What could _any _of them do? It was a thing of the past, something neither Neo-Queen Serenity nor the almighty Ginzuishou could touch. If she told them, all they would give her were looks of pity, words of comfort, and none of those were capable of changing anything.

So Hotaru shook her head. "No, there's nothing."

* * *

The ice cold water was refreshing. It took away the dirt and sweat accumulated from many days of travel, left a trail of goosebumps in its wake.

_Is there really nothing?_

_'Nothing.'_

_Does that girl interest you?_

_'What kind of question is that?'_

_A question exactly as it seems. _

She closed her eyes and let the tremor take over, savouring the chill that seeped into the marrow of her bones.

_She's of interest to _me _though_.

'_A peculiar interest you have there._'

_Well, that you used your powers on her deserves a mention. With that in mind, may I ask the reason why?_

The strange sense of pain and pleasure was a reminder that she was still alive, still struggling to maintain her sanity in this world of lies and deceit. No, Mercury and the others were different. The politicians back in Saturn were the ones to be worried about, fueled by ambitions that had grown since Souichi left the stage. Hotaru struggled to control them, but her immature words were often met with dismissive hand waves; she could only watch helplessly as they continued to further rouse the populace.

'_I am under no obligation to answer your questions._'

_You're a cold one, Hotaru-san. We've been together for so long and you haven't changed your attitude toward me even once. Is it therefore so wrong for me to ponder why this girl has managed in a moment what I've been trying for years?_

She didn't need to concentrate too hard to feel the girl's hands over hers, clasped in an exaggerated happiness. The Princess, she thought, was also different from all those old ministers who strived daily for riches. She was still innocent, pure, a child, and their brief moment of interaction was saturated with so many conflicting emotions. She wore her heart on her sleeve and had discarded all presence of superiority when speaking with her; rather, it did not seem like she was all that familiar with the workings between the different statuses. She was a bit of a relief to be around.

'_Ponder all you want, I won't give you an answer.'_

The normally silky voice gave a little noise of discontent._ Your affections are well-understood. The Moon Princess gives off a familiar air that demands immediate attention even from me. If you decide to pursue this interest, I shall stand far from your way._

_'...Mistress Nine.'_

_Silence greets you eagerly._

* * *

Over the years Hotaru learned that to paint your feelings in clear colours was to expose your desires and weaknesses for all to see. She therefore understood quickly that excitement, anxiety, and anger had to always be masked for fear that others may utilize the situation to obtain what they pleased. It had been proven that knowledge of this was essential to the security of Saturn's economical prospects. Having only recently emerged from an age stereotypically defined by whimsical wants, she could be considered pretty skilled in the art−apart from the occasional breach.

"Princess...?"

It was the morning's first intruder.

"Hotaru-chan!" After excusing herself from the nurse, the girl walked over to the doorway where Hotaru stood, still staring in surprise. The pink-haired royal smiled at her expression and curtsied in greeting. "Good morning. I was looking for you, you know. I'm sorry about running off like that yesterday without even a proper goodbye. Are you feeling better?"

Pink hair kept in _odangos_ was certainly a unique sight, the white dress she wore could not be mistaken for a commoner's, and those shining red rubies were definitely the Princess'. It took a while to accept and once she did, it finally registered that the Princess was actually humbling herself before one of inferior status. '_Is it that she hasn't fully grasped the differences imposed by society? That's impossible, you can't claim that to this extent. Is it an act then, or is she doing this consciously?_' "Good day, Princess, and I am most honoured that you came all this way to inquire about my health. I am unworthy of such treatme―"

The Princess was suddenly too close and Hotaru backed up instinctively into the hall to avoid any physical contact. Confrontations were inevitable in the world of politics and Hotaru had had her share of them, but something about touching the Princess seemed wrong. The feeling had surfaced when she helped her to the bed yesterday, that uncomfortable sensation and a heightened level of awareness. It felt awkward, and apparently the Princess was oblivious to this all because she grabbed a hold of her wrist and pulled her back into the room.

"What are you doing, Hotaru-chan?" she asked, frowning. She glanced at the little gathering outside and waved briefly before pulling the older girl away from the doorway and against a wall. She puffed her cheeks out in a pout. "I told you to call me 'Usagi', didn't I? It feels weird to hear you speaking like this when you're only a few years older than me."

Hotaru stared. Usagi's words helped keep her mind off the close proximity. "But Princess, to assume such familiarity is too disrespectful of me."

"Disrespectful in regards to what?" the Princess asked, her face suddenly removed from humour. She pulled back and crossed her arms in front of her chest. "You worry too much about our social differences, Hotaru-chan. What are they in the end? Trivial things that everyone seems to believe should restrict the people we befriend and the relationships with those we can. Look at us, Hotaru-chan: we're both humans, girls similar in age, and yet you insist on creating a barrier between us.

"It's the way the world works, Princess. It's a structure that has proven effective throughout the ages and to change it may result in a collapse of the system." Hotaru fought off the repulsion that welled up in her stomach; they were neither her words nor her beliefs, but it felt as if she had to say anything to get away from this kind invitation. She immediately took back her earlier thoughts. '_Relief?_' This was not relief. Usagi emitted a presence that alarmed and forced her to sound pretentious and fake. She hated the feeling.

Usagi shook her head in disbelief. "You think on such a big scale, but if that's how you feel about it I won't force you anymore." She smiled brightly. "Though seeing as how you're up and arguing with people, I'll take it that you're feeling better?"

"Yes, thank you for your concern." Hotaru's eyes darted to the Princess' hand. "And yesterday's wound...?

"Ah." She proudly displayed a clean palm. "Surprisingly, it closed up pretty well by nightfall. I must have some kind of magical healing power or something. Then again, it wasn't that deep of a cut to begin with," she admitted, retracting her hand with a shy laugh. Hotaru watched as this progressed to a sudden interest in the ground, then a shifting of the feet, and she felt something pull at her inside. "But I'm glad you're okay now... Um, you aren't, by any chance, busy today, are you?"

There it was. What was this feeling and why was it throwing everything off? She had to remember her duty, the name with which she walked these grounds, but the Princess was pushing some kind of master button. It made her dizzy just trying to get a grip of it. "I have not yet received any special orders from the Neo-Queen, no."

"Neo-Queen...?" Usagi echoed, her brows creased in thought. "You tend specifically―Oh! I forgot about your cloak," and she allowed herself a moment's embarrassment. The garment was a status symbol among the servants, placing its wearer into a seat reserved for those who answered directly to Serenity. It was an honour granted to the dedicated and rarely ever handed out to the young; needless to say, it put Hotaru in a suspicious position but the Princess didn't seem to care for it.

"Well, that's great news anyways because I was wondering... Um... Well, I was wondering if you would like to accompany me to the market this morning?" Usagi laughed nervously and met Hotaru's eyes with orbs of glistening hope. "Please? You talk about us being strangers so this would be a good chance to get to know each other better, right?"

Hotaru bit her lip. Spending the day with the Princess was less than desirable, especially if her fluctuating mood was going to be present throughout. In addition to that, it was clear that the Princess would continue to pursue this acquaintanceship and Hotaru wasn't sure how well she could hold against her. Was it too late to come up with an excuse?

As if Usagi could read her mind, "Oh, you could also interpret it as an order from your Princess. I'll need some help bringing back what I buy."

That sealed the deal. "...Yes, Princess."

* * *

The fourteen-year-old was consciously trying not to stare. The Princess was sitting opposite her, chewing idly on a piece of fruit as she looked out at the marketplace scene. It was a beautiful day and the civilians seemed to understand this, taking advantage of the opportunity to visit the various vendors. The sounds of bargaining was prominent in this atmosphere, though the shouts of children and scolding mothers could still be heard. The sun shone brightly overhead but a cool breeze kept the temperature from rising too quickly, drifting even into the open restaurant in which they were currently seated. The Princess giggled as it caught her hair, and closed her eyes to accept the tease. Hotaru looked away.

In a last ditch attempt, she had tried bringing up the possible dangers of the Princess leaving the castle and was laughed off; a different hairstyle and change of clothes later, Usagi declared herself "unrecognizable". After making sure that the guards would keep their mouths shut, they snuck out of the castle, leaving no pause for breakfast. That was the reason why they were in the restaurant in the first place. The many dishes laid out before them, however, were the result of the manager seeing through the Princess' pathetic disguise and seeking to win some favour with the royal family. He had enough sense not to brag about it, but the show of overindulgence―an offering not only of ten varieties of grain but also fruits ranging from all shapes and sizes―had to be suspicious to the other customers. Top that with minor meat dishes and Hotaru was really tempted to throttle the man for being so careless.

"I'm sorry, this is rude of me, isn't it?"

Jarred from her thoughts, Hotaru looked up to find the Princess fidgeting sheepishly. She had changed into a simple woolen dress, pale blue in colour, and topped it with a gray cloak in an attempt to appear less conspicuous. Unfortunately, it failed horribly because of her decision to let her hair fall loose over her shoulders. It was one of the reasons why Hotaru found it so difficult to look directly at the Princess. She looked so striking with her hair down, so sophisticated and beautiful. Hotaru felt a tightness well up inside her again and tried to shake off the feeling. "Excuse me?"

"This..." and Usagi indicated the feast with a sweeping motion. "I tried to keep my identity hidden, but I guess it's not as easy as I thought. I'm sorry," she apologized again, bowing her head for emphasis. "I don't normally eat like this. Uh, if you'd like you can have... most of it. I really think it's way too much for something like breakfast."

The dark-haired girl averted her eyes, taking to ripping a piece of her bread and dunking it in the provided bowl of jam. The Princess must have mistaken her unwillingness to look at her as disgust. "It's nothing. I shouldn't be surprised that you lead a pampered life−necessities like food so readily available and in such luxurious qualities." She tried to savour the sweetness of the fruit blend against the bread's soft and relatively tasteless qualities, but she was too conscious about the Princess' eyes.

Usagi frowned in response. She suddenly pushed aside the overflowing plates before her and leaned across the table to pluck Hotaru's breakfast right out of her hand. In a manner befitting not a lady, she shoved the bread in her mouth and, after clamping down a few times, tried to push the mass down her throat. Usagi nearly choked and had to seek the assistance of a cup of water. When the little show was finished, she met Hotaru's questioning look in triumph.

"You didn't just...?"

"I'm just showing you that I can eat your 'simple' foods too." Usagi smiled and stole another piece of bread, dunking it thoroughly this time so that the jam painted the white canvas red. "I know that I can be considered fortunate−too fortunate even. My mother and father have both been splendid parents, and Pu has been an excellent teacher. I was raised almost completely in the castle with few outside interruptions, and I admit that without some field work I might not be able to assume my duties in the future. It also bothers me a little when I think about the people who struggle to get by yet here I am, purely on the grounds that I happen to come from a respected bloodline. I've done nothing great and I am praised left to right for it.

"What am I saying? You probably think I'm weird now." She tried to laugh it off when a thought struck her. "Ah! I'm sorry, Hotaru-chan, you probably come from one of those families too. I'm sorry for saying something weird."

"No, my family origins are better than you would think," Hotaru began, recalling her prepared fiction with ease. "I am here only because a distant relative recommended me as trust-worthy and I proved as such. It was not necessarily out of necessity."

"Even so, I shouldn't have just rambled on like that," Usagi insisted. "I'm sorry. I get caught up in my emotions from time to time. Don't know who I get it from, really; both my parents are so calm and collected. What about you, Hotaru-chan? What kind of people are your parents?"

The sudden shift in subject matter seemed a result of the Princess' eagerness to get off awkward ground; unfortunately, this wasn't the best path to go down either. The sense of guilt was immediately replaced with a longing for the gentle, beautiful woman whose figure existed only in memory; Hotaru did not welcome the flood of emotions that the Princess encouraged. Without answering the question, the fourteen-year-old excused herself from the table. She could feel the other's gaze fixed on her rising form, her grip as it captured her hand in mid-air, clasped firmly on her wrist.

_A shrill of delight and an accompanying laughter of amusement..._

"Sorry, I overstepped my boundaries," was the apology. Usagi had stood from her seat to stop her, forsaking the idea that they should continue to avoid eye contact. "That isn't the kind of stuff you ask someone you've known for only a day, right?"

Hotaru chided herself for acting so impulsively. There was no telling what would happen if she left the Princess on her own; she had come outside with her so she was responsible for her safety. "No, I was being too sensitive about it. I apologize for acting out of line. You may ask me any questions you wish, and I will answer them without hesitation."

A pained expression crossed the Princess' face and she shook her head, dropping her hold. "No, I should be sorry, Hotaru-chan. ...But could you please stop doing that? I'll respect your privacy so could you stop submitting yourself to what _I _want all the time? I know you're still stubborn about familiarity and all that, but if you keep distancing yourself like that I won't know what to do..." Usagi closed her eyes and took a breath to even out the shakiness in her voice. When she opened them again, there was a weak resignation hidden in their depths.

"I'm sorry, should we get going?" She took out her money pouch and left a few gold coins on the table. After thanking the manager for his hospitality, the pink-haired princess turned and proceeded out the door alone.

Hotaru stood for a while longer before what happened finally registered and she rushed out into the street. She ignored the few who had taken notice and scanned the sea of heads, fighting the anxiety that was building in her stomach. Why was she acting like this? Plagued by butterflies one minute, so quick to throw up her shield in another, only to instantly regret it? It would be easy to place the blame on the master-servant relationship, one that she had difficulty maintaining because of her stand-offish nature, but she knew that that wasn't all it was. The Princess... If she hadn't showed such concern, she could've masqueraded flawlessly a while longer. But the others―Mercury and them―tried to get her to open up as well, and she was never burdened with such inner turmoil. What made this so different?

She stumbled into the crowd and had to twist to avoid crashing into an elderly couple. She apologized before resuming her search, but the mess of bodies made it impossible to locate a lone figure. Merchants lined the streets with their merchandise and attempted to deal with customers eager for lower prices; those with a less dedicated gathering took to advertising with no reservations. The excessive noise was not helping her concentrate. '_The Princess came out here to buy something_,' she reasoned, '_so it makes sense that she'll stay around here somewhere._' The problem was that she had no idea what the Princess came out to buy and couldn't see her anywhere. The fourteen-year-old resisted the urge to call out.

There. A flash of pink. Without worrying about whether it was actually hair, Hotaru pushed forward towards her only lead and ended up in front of a fruit stall. A middle-aged woman stood behind the structure and offered her a warm smile. Hotaru hesitated but nodded in return and turned to face the Princess, who was busy admiring an apple in her hand. She was rotating it several times and Hotaru took this to mean that she was purposely ignoring her.

"Princess," she started, lowering her voice as she addressed her. "I ask you to refrain from walking off like that. I serve as a poor escort, but please do not wander off on your own."

Usagi didn't look at her. "I'm sorry. If anything happened to me, you wouldn't be able to face my mother, right? I'll remember not to be so self-absorbed next time. Excuse me? May I get five of the red ones?"

Hotaru grimaced internally; the Princess was using her own tactics against her. A part of her argued that it was supposed to have been like this from the start, but something inside twisted in discomfort. She hadn't wanted to taint the Princess with her cold attitude―she just wanted to make sure that Usagi didn't get too close and latch onto something that could destroy her. The other girl, she realized, had to be smiling.

"Princess, you speak in a cynical manner."

"It's what you would have said in my place."

"Thank you for your patronage."

Usagi accepted the bag graciously. "Thank you for your kindness," and she was back on the streets. Hotaru caught up to her easily and grabbed a hold of her sleeve, which didn't warrant a pleased look. "You have some nerve laying a hand on your Princess, don't you?"

"I apologize, but you have to understand my position."

"No, I can't possibly understand," declared Usagi, pulling her arm free. She fixed Hotaru with hardened eyes. "I don't see why you're so against me treating you like a human being. Momo-chan and Kyusuke-kun were the same too, but it's like you're doing this intentionally. Like it's the last thing you'd ever want." The pink-haired girl suddenly looked away, but Hotaru had seen the tears that had begun to well up. "I'm trying my best to grin and bear it, but am I really that much of a bother to you? I'm probably just sticking my nose where it doesn't belong. It's not like I have a reason to stay by your side anymore, now that I know you're okay."

It was the perfect opportunity to break free. She didn't have to care about the Princess' feelings. She just needed to be finished with her duties here and go back home; the current situation left no time for them to meet causally anyways in the future. There was no point to getting her hopes up.

"Princess, I―"

"Runaway cart!"

The two girls turned to see said cart roaring down to meet them, its sides overflowing with vegetables. At a distance the owner of the cart was waving his hands frantically and there was much commotion as pedestrians scrambled out of the way, foregoing possessions in favour of their lives. Only Hotaru and Usagi remained on the path, in the middle of their conversation, as it tore through discarded stalls; they had a scream to thank to finally knock them out of their shock. Hotaru recovered first and she threw herself at the frozen princess without a second thought. Their bodies slammed into the dirt as the vehicle thundered pass, meeting an early end with a magnificent crash.

* * *

_**Note: **Wow, that probably sucked. Most likely. The third—and last—chapter will be along shortly (ie, one year later); I just have to think of some cynical-sounding author notes to add to it._

_**Written: **July 30 - August 30, 2008._

_**Posted: **November 30, 2009. (ONE YEAR AFTER CH1. LULZ)_


	3. Chapter 3

_**Ad Ultimum****  
Chapter III**_

* * *

_The two girls turned to see said cart roaring down to meet them, its sides overflowing with vegetables. At a distance the owner of the cart was waving his hands frantically and there was much commotion as pedestrians scrambled out of the way, foregoing possessions in favour of their lives. Only Hotaru and Usagi remained on the path, in the middle of their conversation, as it tore through discarded stalls; they had a scream to thank to finally knock them out of their shock. Hotaru recovered first and she threw herself at the frozen princess without a second thought. Their bodies slammed into the dirt as the vehicle thundered pass, meeting an early end with a magnificent crash. _

She stayed frozen in place until the ground had long stopped rumbling, and the echoes had faded off into the distance. The silence that followed was somehow deafening by contrast and clashed strongly with the earlier restlessness of the marketplace. Everyone held their breath, almost anticipating another danger flash by. A few moments passed before the crowd started breathing again, stirring some to take to treating psychological wounds and ensuring the safety of their young. Merchants slowly itched from the sidelines to pick up what remained of their livelihoods and were truly appreciative of those who stepped out to lend a hand. While the dust settled, the aggressive ones cornered the cart's panicked owner, while a few of the more useful individuals took survey of the injuries and damages sustained.

Her heart was hammering. Hotaru tightened her hold on the younger girl as if to reassure herself of her presence and let out a heavy breath beside her ear. She felt the Princess squirm in her grasp and pulled back to inquire what was the matter, only to find herself staring straight into her brilliant rubies. The two had fallen onto their sides, just like how it'd been when they met, but this time Hotaru had one arm wrapped around Usagi's shoulders and another one snaking up the back of her head. The situation had called for an embrace to shelter the Princess from any flying debris, but even though the danger was past, Hotaru was still bombarded with a desire to pull the girl closer. Her arms stiffened at the thought and when she saw Usagi's cheeks, smeared with dirt, tint pink, she immediately released her.

The pain in her shoulder all came rushing back.

Noticing the grimace, Usagi forgot the awkward situation and reached out to touch her. "Are you okay?"

Hotaru looked at the Princess, at her clothes all ruined and her long hair splayed out like an unkempt blanket underneath her. Her face was covered in dust and a trail of blood ran across her forehead, but a selfless emotion reflected in her eyes and Hotaru was relieved to see it shine once more. Ignoring the pain, she sat up and focused her attention in the direction of the cart's owner. He was desperately trying to calm down his pursuers, claiming that it was an accident and agreeing to pay for damages if they didn't make it a big deal. Hotaru did not sense any malicious intent from him, but she nevertheless decided that it was not safe for the royal child to remain in this kind of environment.

"Princess, we must leave this place now. We have to return to the castle before anything else happens."

A frown tugged at her lip, and Usagi sat up to close the distance with the older girl. She had a serious expression on her face and seemed about ready to argue when she was interrupted by a sudden wailing. The cart had collided into a carriage further down the road and it was only now, prompted by a child's cry, that people started to take notice of the disaster.

The blood was visible from their distance.

She could hear the Princess' breath catch at the sight, watched as the shock passed and her gaze sharpened in determination. Usagi looked to Hotaru as if asking for permission and she scrambled to her feet when Hotaru rose as well. They ran over to the scene and had to push past a number before they could even glimpse the damage done by the collision. The momentum of the cart had driven it straight into the other vehicle, practically merging with it and sending countless numbers of splinters off in all directions. The wood protruded mainly from the point of impact and this was also where the blood originated; if the force from the collision wasn't enough, the horse was also mercilessly impaled on the spikes. Its blood continued to drip as its eyes, dark as obsidian, stared blankly at nothing.

"Children shouldn't be here!" a woman cried above the noise, and hands stretched forward in anonymous agreement. Hotaru struggled successfully through them, but Usagi wasn't as strong or fortunate. Her hand slipped when she tried to hold onto the older girl, and when Hotaru turned to catch her, the Princess had already been pulled into the crowd. Alarmed, she watched the pink figure drift further away and was about to follow her when a ear-splitting howl pierced through the air.

"MAMA!"

She froze.

"MAMA!"

She had to go back and get the Princess. She was obligated to see to her safety, and this was not an area in which she could interfere.

_Flames dancing carelessly and fumes that sought only to suffocate..._

"PLEASE! MAMA!"

_In the midst of it all, a raspy voice._

Biting her lip, Hotaru spun and fought her way through the crowd, breaking free of the circle of bystanders. She chose to ignore the ones who had taken notice and fixed her gaze upon the picture of destruction. Having been forced to accept the full weight of the carcass, the carriage had caved in completely and leaned heavily on the broken cart for support. Its wooden panels collapsed everywhere and a number of people were currently trying to get them out of the way; rushing against time, they sought to free the individual responsible for the child's tears. The child in question was standing by the sidelines, the fresh bruises on his knees a sign that he did not escape the accident unscathed. His toy lay abandoned in the mud as he bawled.

It took Hotaru a second to realize what was wrong with this picture, and the irony almost killed her. The people who tried to hold her back, who claimed that this scene was nothing appropriate for children, were just standing there, gesturing and whispering amongst themselves. No one dared to step up to the responsibility of comforting the child, were unwilling to involve themselves any further in the incident. Why was this so hilarious?

Hotaru made a move towards the boy but to her surprise, the pink-haired Princess emerged from the crowd before her and, after a pause to analyze the situation, immediately took hold of the reins. She watched as Usagi knelt before him, spoke to him softly words of comfort, then held him when his tears showed no signs of stopping. "Those nice men are trying to get your mama out, okay?" She pulled back to face him with a reassuring smile and gently wiped off his tears with her thumb. "So please don't cry. I promise you that she'll be safe."

_I promise you. _Then she turned and their eyes locked in understanding.

There was a cry when one of the diggers uncovered an arm and suddenly people jumped at the opportunity to help, eager now to know that their efforts would be worth something. It wasn't long before a young woman was pulled from underneath her prison of rubble and laid to rest someways from the collision point. The boy abruptly cut off his sobs and twisted from Usagi's grip, waddling over to his mother and collapsing by her side. The few who'd set her there tried to get him out of the way as they tended to her injuries. Her skin was marred by cuts and bruises and a deep cut ran down the side of her face, rendering one of her eyes useless. The fabric of her clothes was probably indicative of some status, but now they were ripped and tattered. Her hair sprawled out wildly and her chest heaved for breath, a groan escaping every now and then when she pushed the limits of her body.

"Can we do anything to help?" Usagi asked, taking a place beside the boy.

One of the adults looked up and a sour expression seemed to cross his features, though it was gone as quick as it had come. "Someone has already gone to get a doctor so we'll wait for his instructions before doing anything―moving her might be hazardous to her health." He paused and exchanged a glance with the others. "If you want to help, stay by her side and make sure she doesn't lose consciousness while we go help the other guy trapped in that thing. Do you understand what you have to do? Keep the kid company too; it would do the mother a huge favour." Her nod was confirmation enough of her assignment and the men returned to the rescue.

The boy continued to call out to his mother, shaking her to get her to respond, but his fingers stained red and pain flashed across her face when he pushed too hard. Usagi wrapped an arm around the boy's quivering shoulders and he naturally responded to the action, pulling in to cry on her chest. The Princess hugged him close and looked up at her partner with a worrisome expression, but Hotaru chose to walk to the woman's other side instead. She knelt to get a proper look at the woman, and her attention was drawn to the lower half of her body, drenched in blood. Her first conclusion was that the woman had suffered a miscarriage, but then she noticed a long rip in her dress that exposed her leg, a tortured mass of pus mingling with the dark red liquid.

Hotaru pulled back abruptly and met the Princess' eyes, who had looked up in response to her reaction. "She's suffered a serious injury to her right leg," she explained quickly, "and if she's allowed to lose anymore blood, her life may be in danger. We have to stop the blood flow, but the problem is that we don't know whether or not moving her will worsen her condition."

"But we have to do something!" Usagi insisted, trying to calm the boy down by stroking his hair. "It'd be even worse if there was something we could've done but didn't because we feared the consequences. We _have _to help this child's mother. It wouldn't be fair for him to lose his mother like this." She caught the woman beginning to nod off and clasped her hand over hers in an effort to send her strength. "We have to do something, Hotaru-chan; if we wait for the doctor to come, it might be too late. Please..."

Her expression softened. _'She was like this yesterday, wasn't she? She's always eager to help and must feel guilty that she escaped unscathed. She'd feel responsible if anything bad happened and that'd be a weight to carry for the rest of her life.' _Hotaru recalled the throbbing piece of meat, running down the full length of the woman's leg, and the streams of blood that laced it. She closed her eyes and reached for the spark inside, almost falling off balance when the nausea seized her. _'More importantly, that boy does not deserve to lose his mother; no child should have to live through that. I shouldn't have hesitated.'_

The girl placed her hands over the wound and concentrated on converting her energy into healing power, pouring the latter as quickly as she could into the woman. The skin began to stitch itself up immediately but Hotaru was forced to rewind the process a little, having almost forgotten about her internal injuries. She didn't use her ability often and whenever she did, it was always limited to minor cuts or skinned knees; even on such a small scale was the strain on her body tremendous. Therefore healing for as long as she was now was getting her light-headed and made keeping upright a test of endurance. Hotaru watched blood vessels patch up, torn muscle rebuild itself, and skin dance the hole close for what seemed like hours of struggling against the dizziness. She closed her eyes to remind herself why she was doing this and removed her hands when she felt the last of her strength leave her. She pitched forward in exhaustion and Usagi was suddenly there to catch her before she crushed the woman.

"Hotaru-chan, you..." The Princess' eyes were wide and kept darting from her to what used to be a life-threatening gash, reduced now to a mere redness. "Did you do this...? Ah! Hotaru-chan!"

She ignored the warning and stumbled when she tried getting to her feet, saved from falling only because the Princess had reacted quickly to her movements. "Have to... return to... castle," she forced out, and the fatigue in her voice surprised her dimly. She closed her eyes in an attempt to stop the world from spinning. She had to take the Princess back, she reminded herself, make sure no more outside influences touched her. However, Usagi refused to surrender her hold on Hotaru's arm and tugged her so that they stood face-to-face, red eyes boring into a purple shade. The fact that every breath tore her lungs, that she was on the verge of losing consciousness, faded into obscurity when she looked into those eyes... And saw tears.

"U...sagi...-chan?"

"Don't be so stubborn for once," Usagi whispered, clinging onto her tightly. "Worry about yourself for a change."

They sat in silence for the most part of the ride. Hotaru had relented to the Princess' will and, in accordance with her wishes, they remained on the scene waiting for the town doctor to arrive. The woman was diagnosed with a concussion, a few broken bones, and would require medical supervision for the next twenty-four hours; it was already too late for the man rescued second, whose lungs had been punctured by a stray piece and subsequently collapsed. It was unfortunate, but there was only so much that she was capable of doing.

Unable to find anything physically wrong with her, all the doctor could prescribe was lots of rest. Usagi tried to press the issue, but Hotaru agreed with the suggestion and held her back from interfering any further with the treatment of those who needed it. It was a fact that displeased the Princess, and that was why few words were passing between them as they headed back to the castle. Hotaru personally believed that, after the morning's chaos, a moment of tranquility was mandatory. This street was removed from the incident, but word spread quickly and now she was left with a fantastic view of shop vendors and nothing else. The lack of scrolling civilians left the area soundless and only emphasized the silence that prevailed in the carriage.

Hotaru ignored it and rested her elbow on the window sill, propped up her chin as she looked out at the almost ghost town through half-lids. Her highest priority now was ensuring that the Princess got back safely to the castle―the same Princess who was currently sitting opposite her, fidgeting awkwardly. Usagi was worried about her, kept concerning herself too deeply in her affairs, and that always sparked a conflict on Hotaru's side. Neo-Queen Serenity requested nothing from her except to attend the meeting, and if it weren't for that obligation she felt for the royal family, she would have left Usagi a long time ago.

Hotaru frowned. No, that wasn't right.

"Excuse me." Usagi's voice was an intruder in the silence. She didn't have to lean forward to make herself heard but she did so just the same. "Is it possible for us to turn around? I want to go to an apple farm."

"Apple farm?" echoed the coachman, turning around briefly to look at his passengers. "The closest one's located someways out of town. It would take an hour to get there; is that still okay?"

"Yes, thank you very much." Usagi fell back against the seat and smiled sheepishly at her partner. "Hope you don't mind."

Then the conversation finally registered. "What... Princess!" Hotaru stood up quickly in protest and nearly toppled over when the blood rushed to her head. However, probability did not stop the younger girl from moving to catch her, and Hotaru was rendered speechless by the pinkness that suddenly claimed her body. She tried to move, to distance herself from the urge to take the Princess closer, but her limbs stayed unresponsive. Maybe she was more exhausted than she thought.

Usagi surprised her by being the one to surrender to that urge. She tightened the embrace and looked up hopefully at her. "Remember the bag of apples I bought? I think I lost them after all that happened so I thought that a trip to an apple farm would be pretty appropriate. The doctor said that you needed to rest, right? I'm sure you'll rest better there then back at the castle where people are constantly demanding this and that from you... Wait, no. You said you had the day off, didn't you?" She bit her lip and stepped back to her seat, holding her hands tightly in front of her. "I guess you'd prefer that instead of spending the rest of the day with me... It's perfectly normal, but maybe I'm just a little disappointed." She smiled and reassured her, "Not much though."

"No, I'm fine with it." The words were out before Hotaru had a chance to think them over, and the look on the Princess' face proved that the immediate agreement was surprising to her as well. Why was she contradicting herself so much today? Hotaru sat down and took a second to rearrange her feelings on the matter. Her head was still pounding. "For us to sneak out of the castle to fulfill a task only to return empty-handed speaks negatively about our persistence. If you really wish to go, I will not stand in your way. I agree to accompany you."

The rubies lit up once more. "Really? Thank you," and saying thus, she returned to fiddling with her hands until she was ready to expand on her gratitude. "Um, if it isn't too much trouble, can I ask about what happened earlier? Hotaru-chan, you healed the woman, didn't you?"

She casted her eyes downward and breathed out lightly. "It's a power I've had ever since I was young. As you can see, it takes an incredible amount of energy on my part. It's strange, isn't it?" she asked off-handedly, falling back into the wood.

"No," and her eyes opened to reveal the other girl's honest smile. "I think it's great that you possess such a beautiful ability. Being able to heal people like that just shows how kind you really are inside."

There was that feeling again.

* * *

Swirls of red and orange blended around each other on the ground, each twirling out of control until time came to lift them high into the air. Together the wind and leaves danced into meadows swarming with nectar-seekers, and tickled the very surface of a nearby lake. They softly caressed the trees and sent those that still retained their growth shuddering in anticipation. A young girl, balanced carefully on the branches high above the ground, welcomed the touch and breathed in deeply. Keeping one hand pressed into the trunk, she pulled the flapping garment closer to her body and a shiver shook her small frame; it was autumn indeed.

"Princess! I understand that you're enthusiastic about this activity, but you have to consider how we're going to bring these back to the castle!" On the ground below, her dark-haired companion gestured to the basket of apples to illustrate her point and all she got was a wave in return. Hotaru looked again at the overflowing container and sighed. She lied; she really didn't know why the other girl was so eager to hoard fruits.

When they first arrived, the entrance was packed. It being the season of apple picking, this was perfectly understandable, but neither girl was particularly ecstatic about standing in line after the hour-long ride to get there. Sore and tired, Usagi had contemplated the idea of simply going up to the owner of the farm and revealing her identity―taking a page from her experience with the restaurant manager. Fortunately, she quickly shot down that idea when she realized that it would be unfair to everyone else and endured the wait with Hotaru by her side. The Princess tried to push for a conversation, asking questions that were indicative of neither boredom nor a need to get too close too fast; Hotaru answered them as truthfully as she could without betraying her own self.

After what seemed like forever, they were finally allowed a basket in which to hold their loot and Usagi had dragged the older girl promptly to a rather empty section of the farm. That such an area even existed begged the question of why they were forced to stand for hours on end in the first place. It wasn't a question that concerned the Princess, however. She made a beeline for one of the trees and, with the aid of a ladder, was among its branches in no time, tossing bright red fruit down to her receiver.

How long have they been here? Hotaru wondered dimly. With evening fast approaching, most in their area had long started the journey home and the breeze was moving in to discipline those who dared stay. The sun was on the edge of the horizon, resisting darkness to the last and trying to touch all with one final illuminating orange. The wind picked up and she winced at the sharp touch, almost missing her name and the apple that came with it. Twisting to yell again, Hotaru's voice caught in her throat at the sight of her Princess. Glowing majestically with her eyes closed and her loose hair flowing out behind her, Hotaru was reminded of the spell she held over her.

"Isn't it beautiful?"

It took a while for Hotaru to remember that she was the only one to whom the question could be directed, but she remained silent until those bright red orbs looked down at her and smiled.

"Princess...?"

Suddenly the girl was hanging in the air, then falling with her arms outstretched. Hotaru snapped out of her daze immediately and had only enough time to ditch the apple before being driven into the ground. The soil was relatively soft compared to all the floors and dirt she had been falling into lately, but the world was spinning all the same. As she resolved to no longer subject her body to this type of torture, she realized that Princess had chosen to physicallyrestrict her respiratory system this time. Arms wrapped tightly around her neck and while Usagi was by no means heavy, the force of the impact made the weight lying against her painful.

Usagi noticed the grimace and quickly got off. "I'm sorry. I've always wanted to try it once, but I obviously didn't think it out very well. I didn't make it worse, did I?"

"You caught me off-guard is all, Princess." Hotaru pulled herself up, using her hands as supports as she leaned back and tried to catch her breath. When her breathing evened out, she fixed the the younger girl with a stern look. "But you shouldn't have attempted such a dangerous thing. What would have happened had I not prepared myself in time?"

"Yeah, it was stupid, but I knew you would catch me no matter what." Usagi laughed nervously and stuck out her tongue.

"How were you so sure?"

"Just a feeling." She smiled at the skeptical look she received and grabbed a hold of Hotaru's hand. "But that's not why I came down here. Come with me." And she proceeded to pull her up on her feet and drag her over to the base of the tree.

Panic suddenly gripped her and Hotaru shot forward, stood in front of the ladder with her arms out to either side of her. "I'm sorry, Princess, but I can not permit you to go back up there after what you just tried."

"I won't," Usagi reassured her, and she eased herself down onto the grass. Pressing her back against the bark, she breathed a sigh of comfort and cast a glance at her still-standing partner. "Don't just stand there, Hotaru-chan. Come sit down with me; you need it more than I do."

That certainly couldn't be argued, though the dark-haired girl knew better than to elaborate on the thought and instead moved silently to her place beside the Princess. She tried to follow Usagi's example and let go of everything, but the darkness made her uneasily.

"I'm amazed how different it looks." Usagi braved after a while, looking up at her with a smile. "I make it a habit to end my days like this so I'm usually up on the castle walls when the sun sets. It looks different from down here, with all the trees in the way, but the light makes them look so _magical_, and I'm mesmerized all the same. I was hoping it would do the same to you―that is, I was hoping that seeing such a familiar scene would remind you of your home." She cut off abruptly and shifted her gaze, laughing nervously as she realized her stumble. "Not that I assume this is the kind of stuff you do back home, but I thought it might be a little comforting."

There was no comfort to be found in the dynamic clouds, the constantly shifting winds, the encroaching darkness. Hotaru could certainly acknowledge the beauty of the picture, streaks of red running against the violet, but to relax in it was impossible when her mind kept digesting the individual pieces. Everything kept changing, remaining not once static, and an ebbing started in her chest.

"I've never done this before."

"What?"

Why did she speak? Usagi was turned towards her now, hand on her arm to silently encourage elaboration. A cynic part of her taunted that this too was a part of the Princess' plan to get closer to her, but what precisely was so bad about that? The concern in her eyes was genuine, tainted not by any knowledge of her true identity, and a mutual friendship was all she sought. If she allowed some semblance of that to surface for this one night, would that be so bad?

"I've never done this with my father," Hotaru finally confided, feeling as if she had just been relieved of a crushing weight. "Partially because he was so busy with work. As a family, we never really had the time to sit back and enjoy anything like this. There was very little we could actually do together, and most of them would not fit your ideal definition of family, Princess. Therefore this 'comfort' of which you speak, I'm afraid I feel none of it."

"Is that so...?" and that was all the pink-haired girl was able to say. She bit her lip and in the silence that followed, could only bring herself to lean against Hotaru and nothing more. They sat like this for a while, staring out into the horizon with half-lidded eyes and relying only on their fabrics and each other for warmth. Hotaru felt the Princess slump further into her but couldn't summon the strength to respond. Or maybe she didn't want to.

"Hey, Hotaru-chan?" Usagi's voice drifted, almost inaudible amidst all the wind. Hotaru had to tilt her head to look at the girl resting against her shoulder. "Would it be okay if I helped you fill in that feeling of family? I know we've only known each other for a day or so, but I really _do_ like you." She laughed to herself softly. "I know it's strange, yet it still feels good to just sit here like this with you. I'm sorry about what happened earlier, but it hurts every time you try to put some distance between us. It doesn't feel... right. This, however, does."

"Princess..." Hotaru was cut off when she gently put her hand over hers.

"Please, say my name. Just once more."

Her eyes softened. "Usagi-chan."

* * *

_**Note: **Gaaaaah. I accidentally read the last line of this thing and my embarrassment knows no bounds__. Just to let you know, I planned this chapter ending _years _before I ever even heard about/watched _Nanoha_ (May 2007), and now it sounds like a total rip off. ...Aaaand nobody believes me anyways. Whatever. I don't even like that scene anymore. It weakens my HayaFate resolve. Bad._

_So, like, yeah. The end. Happy, happy, end. Imagine it for yourselves. ...Actually, not so happy end but I won't say anything about that. I've actually got 3000 words of the fourth chapter stuck on my hard drive, but since it's incomplete it'd probably be a waste to post it. Maybe I'll just ninja-edit it into this chapter in the far-off future. Or maybe I'll just post it on its own. Or maybe I should post a filler page for the moment and upload with the real thing five years in the future. Ha, that last option sounds like fun._

_**Written: **August 30, 2008 - October 05, 2008.**  
Posted: **June 10, 2010. _


	4. Chapter 4

_It had been planned a grand affair, and presently that goal was being met. The great hall glowed with candlelight and filled with the indistinguishable chatter of interested and inquiring minds. A single red carpet split the crowd in half, fitted twixt entrance and throne, and a lone white-haired figure strode up to meet the man and woman on the other end. All could see how proud were the royal couple, easily sharing their love for the young princess settled between them. Already half a year old, the Princess was destined to assume control of the Moon and Earth Kingdoms, and the people expected great things from the child of Endymion and Serenity. _

_Monarchs from all countries of the world had gathered around the central stage, having already blessed the infant with gifts aplenty, and now watched as the youth walked over with gentle eyes. The sleeping princess, however, did not stir when he leaned over to watch her, nor did she hear his soft promise to stand beside and protect her always. He stepped away once his words had faded, but ignorant the infant remained of her prince's departure._

_Neo-Queen Serenity, her silver gown sparkling in the light, stood to address her well-received audience and close the ceremony, but was interrupted by the sound of approaching footsteps. Her attention turned and, being the generous host she was, the hurried trio were greeted with a smile. "You're late, Saturn."_

_The only man of them, his hair a natural white and his blue eyes outlined by a pair of thin frames, knelt as soon as he reached the centre of the room "I apologize deeply for arriving with so much time behind us. We encountered a problem with our carriage during the latter half of our journey, and were unable to continue until late into the day. We intend no disrespect to the young princess."_

_"I understand, you should not be held responsible for mechanical complications. I am delighted enough that you were able to attend."_

_The King of Saturn smiled in relief and glanced behind him, the sight of his queen and their young child there to behold. Hesitant and wandering eyes betrayed his wife's recent graduation from youth, and her long ebony tresses flowed down shoulders draped in violet. The same shade of hair found itself mirrored, though halted early, in the little girl at her hand. Only two years old, the Princess' curious eyes were not held against her, and her cheerful mood seemed much more than that of the mature audience. Not nearly as formal as her father, the girl smiled widely when her eyes found the cradle; curiosity commanded her leave her mother's side and bounce toward it._

_"Hotaru!"_

_It was natural that the guards lining the walls would react to such a suspicious action and for this, Serenity forgave them. She motioned for them to remain where they stood, then turned to the young child diligently admiring the gem of her marriage. Her lips creased to approve. "Hello, Hotaru-chan. How are you today?"_

_As she was peeking over the side of the cradle, Hotaru took the time to step back and curtsy. "Good day, your Majesties. I'm doing very good today, thank you very much." She broke from the position with a grin and returned those bright amethysts to the tiny figure below. She giggled when the baby stirred just the slightest and was completely unaware that her mother and father had come up behind her. _

_"Hotaru-chan," came Keiko's voice. "Would you like to give the young Princess her present?"  
_

_"Yes!" Hotaru pawed her dress for a while before coming up with a small transparent cube. The function of the cube became obvious when a multi-pointed crystal came into sight. It shone like a star and the points, which protruded into every direction, effectively reinforced this resemblance by aiding in the refraction of light. _

_Saturn's King moved forward and his spoken tone hinted at alarm. "Hotaru-chan, are you sure this is the present? After all..."_

_"Papa, it's my most favourite thing. It makes sense to give this very important person, my very important item." Hotaru's beaming smile was obviously an indication as to how rational the reasoning seemed to her. "I'm sure that if the Princess understands that, there'll be nothing to worry about. Right?" The last word she directed to the heir of two kingdoms and, with her mind already set, she moved to place her gift among the others crowded on a nearby table._

_Quickly Hotaru returned to the Princess' side, choosing to continue taking in the child's soft pink curls and pale skin. "She's so tiny..." she whispered, voice full of awe. "So cute too. What's her name?"_

_"Princess Tsukino Usagi Small Lady Serenity."_

_"Princess Tsukino Usagi... Usagi..." Saturn's heir trailed off when the title proved too long and marked this with a sheepish laugh. "It's nice to meet you, Usagi―no, chibi. Chibi... Chibiusa!" The little girl giggled in delight at her creativity and beamed. "It's nice to meet you, Chibiusa-chan."_

_A sliver of red peeked out from underneath hooded weariness._

_"My name's Tomoe Hotaru. I hope we can become friends."_

_

* * *

__**Ad Ultimum  
Chapter IV**_

_**Note:**_ _Damn the non-story rule. Well, there's the first 1000ish words. Ninja-edit in five years. Story discontinued... NOW. Bie bie._

_Also, that one reviewer for Chapter 2? I am disappoint. You weren't supposed to review, whoever you are.  
_

_**Written:** October 05, 2008 – December 01, 2008 (?)**  
Half-Posted: **June 10, 2010.**  
Posted-Posted: **? 2015 ?_


End file.
